With only two regulars starting, the Dodgers lose their first game following Tuesday's announcement that Magic Johnson's group will buy the team.

And then they played a preseason baseball game, not that anyone was paying much attention.

The Dodgers’ focus Wednesday wasn’t on the field, which it turned out was mostly a good thing, but on that little bit of news that Magic Johnson’s group would be the team’s next owner. Have you ever seen a player throw confetti on the field?

Maybe the Dodgers were still finding their legs after reveling in the ownership news, but they went rather quietly to the evil Giants, 4-1, in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The Dodgers started only two regulars, James Loney and Mark Ellis, and were held scoreless for five innings by the renowned Yusmeiro Petit, a Venezuelan right-hander who spent the past two seasons in the minors.

Nathan Eovaldi, something of the Dodgers’ sixth starter, had given up only one earned run in his previous 10 2/3 spring innings, but gave up two Wednesday.

The first came in the second inning when shortstop Brandon Crawford took him deep. It was Crawford’s second home run of the spring. He also scored their second run in the fifth when he singled and scored on an Angel Pagan double.

The Dodgers’ lone run came in the sixth after Ellis singled and scored on a Loney double off Sergio Romo.

The unspeakably evil Giants scored twice more in the eighth on Nate Schierholtz’s home run off reliever Todd Coffey.

Coffey, already assured of a spot in the bullpen, has now given up runs in four of his last five appearances.